Reference no: EM133635442

Assignment:

By providing specific feedback and critiquing their problem statement using the following criteria (Gray & Grove, 2020):

• Does the problem have professional significance?
• Does the problem have potential or actual significance for society?
• Does the problem have the potential to build or refine evidence-based practice?

There is a gap in knowledge regarding the efficacy of individual music therapy on improving coping skills and symptom management in patients hospitalized for acute psychiatric crises.

Study Variables

The independent variable in this proposed study is individual music therapy sessions provided for acute psychiatric inpatients. Specifically, participants in the experimental group will receive 30-minute one-on-one music therapy sessions administered by a certified music therapist three days per week for four consecutive weeks. Sessions will include interactive music-based exercises such as lyric analysis, instrument playing, and therapeutic songwriting meant to build coping capacity and process emotions.

The key dependent variables that will be measured are coping skills and symptom management across the hospitalization period. Coping skills will be quantified weekly using a validated scale like the Coping Self-Efficacy Scale, assessing perceived competence at managing one's symptoms and setbacks. Symptom management will be operationalized through instruments such as the Symptom Checklist-10 which summarizes self-reported psychiatric symptom distress.

Hypothesis

Relative to the control group receiving standard care, the group receiving individual music therapy will exhibit significantly improved coping skills and symptom management scores over the four week intervention period.